Float thread cutter



F. D. RICKERT ET AL Feb. 13, T951 FLOAT THREAD CUTTER 4 Sheets-Shea?I l Filed Feb. 12, 1949 A TTORNE Y Feb 139 19M F. D. RlcKl-:RT ET Al. 2,54545 FLOAT THREAD CUTTER Filed Feb. 12, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 j Si /00 INVENTORS x l FEEDER/cx /w/EL R/c/ffer 7 L' 'o' 7 BY /Wos wm/(RUM A' TTORNE Y F. D. RICKERT ET Al. FLOAT THREAD CUTTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Febo l3, wm A Filed Feb. 12, 1949 MMM) A 7mm/.E Y

Feb, i3, E951 F. D. RncKER-r ET A1..

FLOAT THREAD CUTTER y 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 12. 1949 aluminuml Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT orties FLOAT THREADA CUTTER Frederick Daniel Rickert and Amos Lloyd Krum,

Reading, Pa., assignors to InfantsSocks, Inc., Reading, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application February 12, 19,49, Serial No. 76,134v

(Cl. ,Z6- 11) The present invention relates generally to yarn cutting apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for cutting and removing the floats of patterning wrap yarns extendingbetween successive knitted rib tops joined together in stringwork form.

In the knitting of rib tops on a circular rib knitting machine, the successive tops are delivered by the machine in the form of stringwork in which the tops are joined together by special removeable separating courses of knitting between adjacent tops by means. of which the tops may be individually separated from each other. However in the case of a circular rib wrap yarn decorated knitting machine, the wrap threads knitted into and forming the pattern in each of the successive tops extend as iioats between. the inside of the tubular tops after the separating courses have been removed. Consequently the wrap yarn oats must be removed before the tops can be completely separated and it is desirable that the oats be severed adjacent to the points at which they are knitted into the fabric of adjacent tops as not to leave objectionable extending lengths of the wrap yarns. It will be obvious that the length of the wrap yarn floats will vary with the length of each series of tops and with the particular pattern formed by the wrap yarn in the fabric of the tops.

1t is accordingly a. principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which will quickly and automatically remove the wrap yarn doats between successive wrap yarn decorated rib tops.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is readily adjustable for different lengths of wrap yarn oats so that regardless of their length, the floats may be severed adjacent to the points at which the wrap yarns are knitted into the fabric.

With the above and other objects in view as will. be apparent from. the following description of the invention, a preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1` is a. View of a pair of tubular rib tops joined together by the wrap yarn patterning floats,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of the present invention,

Figure 3 is a front view in elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Figure 3y taken on line ll-ll of Figure 3 and showing the drive belt and pulley in phantom lines,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a detail of the invention showing the lever operating means,

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line E-B of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is a sectional View on line 'I-lv of Figure 4,' y

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the clutchv and driving means shown in Figure 4,

v'Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 8 with the clutch in engaged position,

Figure 10 is a perspective View showing the clutch operating means,r

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view through the cutter apparatus in fully opened position,

Figure 12 is a sectional view of the apparatus showny in Figure 11 taken on line I2'-I2,`

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 11 with the cutter apparatus in an intermediate position, and

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 11 with the cutter apparatus in fully closed position.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that the present invention provides a cutter device or apparatus indicated at IU adapted to be operated when the rod II thereof is moved vertically by means of a lever I2 adapted to be power op- I8. The bearings I6, It support a normally idle shaft 2!! upon which is mounted for free rotation thereon the pulley I3 driven by belt 2I from any suitable source of power. Also mounted on shaft 2l! and secured to pulley I3 for rotation therewith is a toothed clutch wheel 22 by means of which the shaft 2G may be rotated at times with the pulley I3usually for one revolution of the latter. An arm 23, secured to the shaft 20 alongside of clutch wheel 22 by any suitable means as by pin 2t, extends beyond the wheel 22 where a pawl 25 is pivoted thereon at 25 to overlie the teeth of the wheel 22. One end 21 of pawl 25 is shaped to engage the teeth of wheel 22 and is urged into engagement therewith by spring 28 secured to the end 2l 0f the pawl 25 and to the arm 23. It will be obvious, as seen in Figure 9, that when pawl 25 is permitted to engage wheel 22 that the shaft 2Q will be caused to rotate with the driven pulley v I3. To control thel movement of nawl- 25 a bolt :member 29 movable in housing 3l) is provided.

An arm 3l secured to table I5 by bolts 32, 32 supports housing 39 in position so that bolt 29 overlies the arm 23 where it controls the action of pawl 25. A pin 33 secured to bolt 29 extending outwardly through a slot 34 in face plate 35 of housing 39 serves as the means by which bolt 29 may be raised vertically against the action of compression spring 36 and also serves as a limit at the bottom of slot 34 for the downward movement of bolt 29 under action of spring 36. The spring 36 is compressed by any suitable means as by opening in table I5 between the upper -face of bolt 29 and a plate 31 secured to the table top I5 by screws 38, 38. The lower face of bolt 29 is provided with means to stop the arm 23 and to hold pawl 25 away from wheel 22 when the bolt 29 is in lowered position of Figure 8. As best seen in Figure l0 the lower face of bolt 29 is provided with the spaced members 39 and 49 adapted to engage respectively with opposite end 4I of pawl 25 and with the projection 42 at the end of arm 23.

Assuming that the parts are as shown in Figure 8, it will be seen that with bolt 29 in lowered position the end 42 of arm 23 is in engagement with stop 40 and the end 4I of pawl 25 is in engagement with notch 43 thus keeping the pawl end 21 out of engagement with wheel 22. Accordingly shaft 29 and the parts thereon will be kept from rotation with the normally rotating pulley vI3 and wheel 22. Should bolt 29 be momentarily raised, as by moving pin 33 upwardly, to release arm 23 and pawl 25, pawl end 21 will be drawn by spring 28 into engagement with clutch wheel 22V and stop member 49 will be withdrawn from engagement with the projecting end 42 of arm 23, thereby causing shaft 26 to be rotated by driven` pulley I3. mittedto drop to its lowermost position before shaft 29 has completed a revolutionthen as one revolution of shaft 29 and arm 23 is about to be completed, the power of spring 36 is suflicient so that inclined surface 44 of the lower face of bolt 29 will engage the end 4I of pawl 25, turning the latter about its pivot point 26 to withdraw pawl -end 21 from engagement with wheel 22 against the action of relatively light spring 28.

Now should bolt 29 be per-- Upon withdrawal of the pawl end 21 from driving engagement with wheel 22, the pawl 25 comes to rest with the end 4I thereof in notch 43 of bolt 29 and at the same time bolt stop 49 engages projecting end 42 of arm 23 to hold the latter in idle position of Figure 8. Thus each time that f bolt 29 is momentarily raised for a period of time less than that required for a revolution of pulley I3, the parts above described are actuated to 45 provides a convenient means by which the operator may Vmomentarily operate lever 45 to cause shaft 29 to rotate for a single revolution. The stud46 is supported by a suitable bracket secured to the front of block I1.

The purpose of rotating shaft 29 for single `revolutions is to raise and lower lever I2 about its pivot point on stud 59 so that the reduced end 5I which extends between rollers 52, 52 of yoke 53 forming an intermediate part of rod II, will raise and lower rod il to actuate the cutter mechanism I9. The stud 59 is supported by a Asuitable bracket 54 secured to the underside 0f table I5 by bolts 55. The shaft 29 which terminates just short of lever l2 has a collar 56 secured to its end so that a roller 51 projecting from the outer face of the collar fits into a slot 58 in lever I2. It will be noted that roller 51 is offset with relation to shaft 29 and consequently for each rotation of shaft 20, from its idle position of Figure 4, lever I2 will be lowered and raised to complete a cycle of operation. As shown in Figure 5, the roller 51 is shown in active position with the lever I2 lowered.

The wrap yarn float cutting mechanism i9 is provided with a Vhousing comprising spaced parallel angle formed side walls 59, 59 secured to and extending upwardly from the top of a channel shaped base member 69 extending rearwardly beyond the side Walls 59, 59 as at 6I, the channel legs of the extension 5If'b-eing undercut at 62 to fit over the front edge of table I5 and be suitably se-cured thereto as by screws 63, 93. It will be obvious that the side walls and base of the housing may be integrally formed. Extending inwardly from the front edges of each of the side wall members 59, 59 adjacent the tops thereof are in-line like slotted openings 64, 64 tapered as at 65, 65, these openings being parallel to the base 6I and of sulicient length to receive all of the wrap yarn floats to be severed. The outer sides of the `walls 59, 59 are tapered above and below the slots 64 as at 66, 66 to permit the yarn floats to be cut the desired length. Stationary knifeblades 61, 61 are secured to the inner faces of walls 59, 59 below slots 64, 64 so that the upper cutting edges of the blades are substantially coincident with the lower edges of the slots. Movable Yknife blades 68, 68 having lower cutting edges adapted to cooperate with stationary blades 61, are supported for turning movement on studs 69, 69 fastened at their inner ends in arms 19,19 of the movable knife blades. The outer headed ends of studs 69, 69 extend through bearing holes in the walls 59, 59 and are encircled by compression springs 1I, 1I which serve to maintain the movable blades in yielding contact with the stationary blades for emcientcutting action. The movable blades are further maintained in yielding engagement with the stationary blades by means of a compression spring 12 extending between the movable blades and encircling separate in-line studs 13, 13 xed at one end in the free ends of the movable blades 68, 68 and extending toward each other.

To operate the movableV blades, a lever 14 is provided pivoted on a shaft 15 which is supported by and extends between the side walls 59, 59 at their forward ends above the slots 94. Spacing collars 16, 16 maintain the lever 14 centrally of the side walls 59, 59. A` yoke 11 formed at the rear end of lever 14 extends around upright rod II and depending arms 18, 19 support a pin 19 Ywhich extends outwardly from both sides of the arms 18, 18 to overlie the movable knife blades 61, 61. A set screw held collar 86 on pin 19 between arms 18, 18 serves to secure the pin in position. The lever 14 is adapted to be moved from its uppermost position in Figure 11 to its lowermost position in Figure 14 by means of rod vI I as the latter is moved downwardly by the means previously described, an adjustable stop member 8| on the upper end ofrod II normally spaced from the yoke 1l, Figure l1, engages yoke "l'l'after traversing the spaced distance and thereafter depresses lever 14 to the position of Figure "14. Depression of lever 14 causes pin v19 to actuate movable blades 58, 68 to cross slotted openings 64 and stationary blades 61, thereby severing any yarn floats present between the cutting blades. It is intended that the wrap yarniloats to be cut should be' placed in the slots |35; extend'- ing between the walls 59 in position to besevered by the cutting blades. The lengths of the wrap yarn floats may vary with different rib tops as will be apparent from Figure 1 where two of a series of tubular tops 52', 82 are shown connected together by interiorly disposed wrap yarns 63 which have been knitted into the tops 52 to form the visible pattern blocks 84 and lines 85 in con'- trasting color upon the base fabric The lower edge 8l of each top B2 is connected to the upper edge 88 of the adjacent top 82 by a remove'- able separating course (not shown) as the tops come from a circular rib knitting machine as is well known in the art and in Figure' 1 the tops 32 are shown as they are after the separating courses have been removed in the usual manner. It will be obvious that individual tops of varying' lengths or of varying" wrap yarn formed patterns will have varying float lengths of the wrap' yarns between adjacent tops. Accordingly the cutter mechanism is provided with means adjustable for the different lengths of floats' which will insure that the wrap yarn excess may be severed adjacent to the points in the fabric where the wrap yarns are first and last knitted to form the pattern. The yarns are severed so as to leave relatively short lengths extending from'v the back of the fabric suicient so that'the yarns will not pull out of the fabric.v The operator spreads the tops apart and inserts the float yarnsv t3 joining adjacent tops 82 in the slots 64 with the upper and lower edges 88 and 81 of the tops on the outer sides of the side walls 5, the slots ed being too narrow to permit the fabric of the tops to pass therethrough. The operator then momentarily depresse's the' handle' I4 and the mechanism previously described is caused to be power operated to actuate the knife blades to sever the floats, thus completely separating the tops.

To take up the slack in the wrap yarn floats beforebeing severed, there is provided an adjustable take-up plunger member 963 which is adapted to move from its position in Figure l1 above slots 64 to a position below slots Eli as shown in Figure 13, the distance below the slots 64 being adjustable and dependent upon the length of the yarn iloats. The plunger 90 mounted centrally oi walls 59 on upright rod 9| parallel to rod II, is provided with notches 92 on its underside to engage iloats 33. The rod 9| having a reduced threaded end portion 93 extending through an opening in plunger 99, is provided with a spring @il and a nut e5 by means of which the plunger is hel-:l against the shoulder providedby the reduced end 53. Another opening 9e at the rear ofv plunger Se is provided by means of whichv the rod il serves as a guide upon which the plunger may move vertically. The rods |I and 9| are guided for vertical movement in sleeves Sl, 93 suitably secured to the floor of base 6|. rlhe upper side of the plunger dii is reduced at its forward end as at l to provide a flat surface which is adapted to engage spring covered pins '53, it, Figure 14, of lowered movable cutters ed, 55 so that as plunger 9E) is raised it will return the cutters to their opened position oi Figure 11. The

base 6| is provided with opening 955 to permit l the severed iioat ends to drop into any convenient receptacle. The lower end of rod is threaded' to receive the adjustable rounded nut |69; knurledY on its `outer surfaceand centrally 6, undercut at IUI to receive the arms of the supporting member |14'. The supporting member |04, free to slide on rod 9| by means of asuitable opening, has secured to it by screw |63 a flat spring |02 curved to engage the knurled surface of nut |00 and thus hold the same in an adjusted position. A stop member |05 suitably secured to the lower endr of rod II is adapted to raise arm Hit androd 9|, the arm |06 having a split end adapted to extend around the rod I| overlying the stop |05. A set screw |01 is provided to adjustably secure the arm |06 in place onA rod 5|.

In the operation of the described apparatus, after the oat threads 83 have been inserted in and stretched across the slots 64, the operator momentarily manually depresses the handle I4 of lever d5. The movement of lever,.by the means hereinabove set forth, causes shaft 20 to be revolved for a single revolutionv thereby causing roller 5l to' actuate lever I2 and` impart a single reciprocation to rod The rst half of each reciprocation is a downward movement for rod II and during the initial part of this movement the rod |I moves from its uppermost position of Figure 11 to that shown. in Figure 13 in which' knob 3| is adjacent yoke ll. This is sulcient for the member Hill on rod I I' to move downwardly to engage the member |06 and move associated rod 9| downwardly so that take-up plunger 9|) removes the slack in float threads 83 drawing adjacent successive tops 82 close to the outer sides of walls 59. The yielding connection provided by spring 94 insures that the threads will not be broken. In this position of the parts, further movement of rod downwardly will cause knob 8| to pivot arm 'Id so that pin i9 will aotuate blades 68 to move the same to the position of Figure 14 thereby severing the ends of the iloats adjacent the points at which the wrap yarns are knit into successive rib tops;

The second half of each reciprocaticn is an upward movement for rod I I during which block |05 on rod engages the underside of member |96 to raise rod 9| and the plunger take-up 99;. The continued upward movement of the rods II and 9| causes the upper surface |98 of take-up to engage spring encircled pins 'i3 to re-set the movable blades |58 and arm 'I4 to the position of Figure 11, preparatory to the insertion of other float threads in slots 64. It will be obvious that for different lengths of float threads the adjustable nut |00 may be accordingly moved up or down on the rod so that amount of slack removed from the floatthreads by take-up el) will vary as required by the varying lengths of the floats to be severed. The apparatus provides means` which is manually operable at a rapid Arate for removal ofl float threads between tops tern areas of successive tubular wrap patterned stringwork formed rib tops comprising a pair of spaced cutting members adapted to receive the floats between separated adjacent tops but not the tops themselves, the oat lengths between said areas being substantially greater than the distance between said members, means to position the pattern areas adjacent memb and means to operate said members to sever floats adjacentto the' points at which said-yarns are knittedin-to successive tops. I

2. An apparatus for removing the interior wrap yarn oats extending between spaced pattern areas of successive tubular wrap patterned stringwork formed rib tops comprising a pair of spaced cutting members adapted to receive the floats between separated adjacent tops but not the tops themselves, the float lengths between said areas being substantially greater than the distance between said members, means to elongate said oats and position their end portions adjacent said members and means to operate said members to sever said floats adjacent to the points at which said yarns are knitted into successive tops.

3. An apparatus for removing the interior wrap yarn floats extending between spaced pattern areas of successive tubular wrap patterned stringwork formed rib tops comprising a pair of spaced cutting members adapted to receive and to sever the said floats between adjacent separated tops, the lengths of said floats to be severed being greater than the distance between said members, guard means to prevent said tops from entering said members, and a yarn takeup between said members adapted to remove the slack in said float yarns and to position the pattern areas of said tops adjacent said members.

4. An apparatus for removing the interior wrap yarn floats extending between spaced pattern areas of successive tubular wrap patterned stringwork formed rib tops comprising spaced wall members provided with parallel open end slots adapted to receive the floats between separated adjacent tops but not the tops' themselves, stationary knife blades disposed on the inner sides of said members having upper cutting edges substantially coincident with said slots, movable knife blades normally spaced from and adapted to be moved toward said stationary knife blades to cooperate therewith to sever said floats, a yarn take-up between said wall members normally positioned above and adapted to be moved to a position below said slots to remove the slack in said float yarns thereby positioning the pattern areas of said tops adjacent said blades and means to operate said take-up and said blades in timed relation to sever said floats.

5. An-apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said take-up and blade operating means comprises a vertically movable rod operatively related to said take-up and to said blades, said rod being adapted to be operated for single reciprocations, and during the i'lrst half of its reciprocation operating rst the yarn take-up and then the blades and during the second half of its reciprocation re-setting said yarn take-up and said blades.

6. An apparatus for removing the interior wrap yarn floats extending between spaced pattern areas of successive tubular wrap patterned stringwork formed rib tops comprising spaced wall members provided with parallel open end slots adapted to receive the floats between separated adjacent tops but not the tops themselves, cutters disposed on the inner sides of said members operatively related to said slots to sever said floats, a yarn take-up between said Wall members normally positioned above and adapted to move to a position below said slots to remove the slack in said float yarns thereby positioning the pattern areas of said tops adjacent said blades, a vertically movable rod adapted when moved for a single lengthwise reciprocation to operate said take-up and said blades in timed relation to sever said oats and to re-set said take-up and said blades, a power driven rotary shaft, a handle control and means operative upon momentary manual movement of said handle control to cause said rod to be operated by said shaft for a single revolution thereof.

7. A float thread severing apparatus comprising spaced wall members provided with parallel open end slots adapted to receive the floats, the length of said floats being substantially greater than the distance between said members, cutters disposed on said members operatively related to said slots to sever said floats, a yarn take-up between said wall members normally positioned above and adapted to move to a position below said slots to remove the slack in said float threads thereby positioning the end portions of said floats adjacent said cutters, a vertically movable rod operatively related to said cutters, a second vertically movable rod operatively related to said yarn take-up and to said rst named rod, means for imparting single reciprocations to said rst named rod, and a lost motion connection between said cutters and said rst named rod whereby initial movement of the latter during the first half` of the reciprocation operates only said second named rod and said yarn takeup and further movement operates said cutters, the first named rod during the second half of the reciprocation operating said second named rod to re-set said take-up and said cutters.

8. A float thread severing apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which means are provid-ed operatively related to said vertically movable rods whereby the extent of the yarn take-up travel prior to the operation of the cutters may be regulated.

9. A iloat thread severing apparatus comprising spaced wall members provided with parallel open end slots adapted to receive the floats, the length of said floats being substantially greater than the distance between said members, cutters disposed on said members operatively related to said slots to sever said floats, said cutters comprising stationary blades with upper cutting edges substantially coincident with said slots and movable pivotally mounted blades normally spaced above said slots adapted to be moved to a closed position alongside said stationary blades, pins on the free ends of said movable blades extending toward each other, a compression spring encircling each of said pins, a cutter operating arm pivotally mounted at one end on said wall members above the entrance end of said slots and having a yoke at its other end, a yarn take-up between said wall members normally positioned above and adapted to move to and return from a position below said slots where it removes the slack in said float threads thereby positioning the end portions of said floats adjacent said cutters, said take-up on its return movement being adapted to engage said spring encircled pins of the movable blades in closed position to re-set them in opened position, a vertically movable rod having oneend extending upwardly between the yoke on said cutter operating arm, a knob on said end of the rod spaced from said yoke adapted to engage the latter as the rod descends, a second vertically movable rod operatively supporting said take-up adapted to lower and raise the latter, a spring interposed between said second named rod and said take-up to provide a yielding connection therebetween in the downward take-up movement, adjustable means on the lower ends of said rods operatively related whereby upon downward movement of said first l 2,541,545 Y 9 l0 named rocl the extent of travel of said second REFERENCES CITED named regll and the downward movement of said take-up pfrl'ir to actuation of said movable blades ll fllifwiargenfferens are of record in the may be reg'lated, and means for imparting manp f ually controlled single reciprocations to said first 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS named rod,` the rst half of each reciprocation lowering aid rst named rod to actuate said sec- Number Name Date ond named rod, take-up and cutters while the 3541641 Lash Dec- 21, 1386 second half of leach reciprocation raises said rst FOREIGN PATENTS named rod to re-set said second named rod, take- 10 up and cutters Number Country Date 

